1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers in general to sliding boards and, more particularly, to a method for sliding on grass slopes and a board assembly therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The sport of snowboarding has arisen as a popular winter sport, alternative to traditional skiing. The need to extend this widely liked sport, beyond the winter season, constitutes the determinant factor in developing the present invention.
The following disclosures relate to various types of known boards: O""Haire(U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,540 issued Aug. 24, 1999); Kobylenski et al.(U.S. Pat. No. 5,865.446 issued Feb. 2, 1999); Brisco (U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,155 issued Oct. 13, 1998); Yu (U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,695 issued Mar. 25, 1997); Csepregi (Canadian Patent Number 1,324,480 issued Nov. 9, 1993) and Elphick (Canadian Patent Application filed Oct. 11, 1990).
The inventor believes that the cited above disclosures, taken alone or in combination, neither anticipate nor render obvious the present invention, which has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional boards. The foregoing citation of patents does not constitute an admission that such disclosures are relevant or material to the claimed subject matter. Rather, the disclosures relate only to the field of the invention and are cited as constituting the closest art of which the inventor is aware.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a method and a board assembly suitable for sliding on grass slopes.
It is another objective of this invention to build a sturdy board assembly.
It is yet another objective of this invention to provide a well-engineered structure, which is also not expensive to manufacture.
Broadly stating, the board assembly for sliding on grass slopes comprises a board, a retaining means attached to the board and a locking means for clamping an ice block to the retaining means. The board has, essentially, a rectangular shape with longitudinal and transversal axes of symmetry, upper and lower surfaces, a front and rear end and a pair of lateral ends.
The retaining means is attached to the lower surface, has an axis of symmetry coinciding with the longitudinal axis of symmetry and is adaptable to capture an ice block.
The locking means actuates on the retaining means for closing it and, thereby, clamping the ice block in place.
In one aspect of the present invention, the board assembly for sliding on grass slopes comprises a board having essentially a rectangular shape with longitudinal and transversal axes of symmetry, which intersect in the center of symmetry of the board. The board has an upper surface, a lower surface, a front and rear end and a pair of retaining frames, each of rectangular in shape. Each retaining frame has a long axis of symmetry, parallel to the transversal axis and a short axis of symmetry that coincides with the longitudinal axis of symmetry, and a long element, parallel to the transversal axis of symmetry. The pair of parallel short elements and the long element are firmly secured to the lower surface. A removable long element, parallel to the long element is disposed near the transversal axis of symmetry and is adapted to fit with its opposite ends, using comer lap joints, in adjoining ends of the short elements. Each removable long element has a central recess located in the side directed towards the transversal axis of symmetry. On the top surface of each short, long and removable long element, a retainer is so secured, that it extends inwardly beyond the internal edge of each of the mentioned elements, to form a lip. The resulting lips form a substantial rectangular contour, which encompasses an open surface, which is less than the interior surface of the retaining frame.
A locking means actuates simultaneously for fixing in position or dismantling the removable long elements.
In another aspect of the present invention, the locking means includes a turnbuckle, internally threaded at both ends, one end being right hand threaded, the otherxe2x80x94 left hand threaded. In each of the ends is screwed a threaded, closed eye rod, which has an eye at one extremity and a thread at the other extremity. The eye is directed toward the recess of the removable long element. Rotating the turnbuckle in one direction results in tightening, in another directionxe2x80x94 in slackening of the removable long element.
In one aspect, the above embodiment is provided with a pair of fixed loop handles, which are firmly secured on the upper surface of the board. Each fixed loop handle is disposed adjacent to a lateral end and is parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry and perpendicular to the transversal axis of symmetry.
In the last aspect of the above embodiment, a rope with a handle in the middle is attached by knots to a pair of holes, disposed approximate to the rear end. The holes are located parallel to the transversal axes of symmetry and perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of symmetry of the board.
In another embodiment, a unitary board having, essentially, a rectangular shape with longitudinal and transversal axes of symmetry, an upper and lower surface, a front and rear end and a pair of lateral ends. Front and rear ends are curvilinear and the transition between upper and lower surfaces, along the contour of the board, is rounded. A recess, starting from the lower surface and having, in the bottom view, essentially, a rectangular shape, basically extends over most of the area of the board. The axes of symmetry of the recess coincide with the longitudinal and transversal axes of symmetry of the unitary board. In each lateral surface of the pair of lateral ends, centrally located and starting from the recess, a rectangular entrance slit, parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry, is provided. The latter includes, at each end, an upper part of a comer lap joint.
Use is made of a pair of removable long elements. Each removable long element is adapted to fit, with its opposite ends, into adjoining ends of opposed rectangular entrance slits, thereby forming comer lap joints. Thus, two cavities adapted to capture ice blocks are formed. On the exterior surface of each of the four elements of the rectangular shape, which delimits each of the two cavities, a retainer is firmly secured.
An adjustable locking device, located between the opposed removable long elements, actuates simultaneously on the latter.
The method of sliding on grass slopes, using a board having an upper and lower surface and adaptable to use an ice block, according to the present invention, comprises the following steps:
providing the board;
attaching to the lower surface of the board at least one ice block;
putting the board on a grass slope; and
riding the board.